Daltonganj: Police seized 146 kg of cannabis valued at Rs 22 lakh and arrested three men after intercepting a luxury car at Makaiyya Tarn picket under Balumath police station limits in Latehar district late on Sunday.SP Kumar Gaurav said police had received a tip-off that cannabis was being transported from Odisha to Bihar via Chandwa and Balumath in Latehar district.Acting on the information, police stopped the car carrying three occupants and found 37 packets of cannabis concealed in six bags marked ‘refined wheat flour’ (maida). Police said the labels were intended to mislead them, while the transportation of ‘maida’ at night in a luxury car aroused suspicion.Balumath SDPO Umesh Prasad Singh identified the arrested men as Santosh Bahera, 23, Kalamuddin, 22, and Rahul Bhaisal, 22, all residents of Jharsuguda in Odisha.Police also seized a four-wheeler allegedly used to escort the car and conduct reconnaissance, though its driver escaped.The three accused were booked under the NDPS Act and remanded in judicial custody on Monday. Police also seized three mobile phones, which will be examined to identify other members of the smuggling network.Police said cannabis smuggling typically increases during the month of Shravan.
